This is a narrative I wrote of our trip to Utah last year that never got published anywhere, so if you're snowed in and bored out of your mind, you can give it a read.
The Wild West Show
Utah/Arizona
Trip Report
Submitted by Mark D. Raven
Friday, June 5
Mark Raven and Jared Sniezek arrived at Matt Raven’s home in Columbus, Ohio at 4:45 PM, followed shortly by Dan Ferren. Before loading Dan’s Subaru Baja, however, some repairs had to be made to the luggage compartment on the vehicle, which Dan had almost been right about clearing the ceiling of his garage earlier in the week. After some over-zealous drill work by Jared and filling nearly every cubic inch of available space with gear and medical supplies, we departed for Utah at 5:40 PM. Accompanied by country music, we saw the sunset in Indianapolis, and ate at Burger King in western Illinois (our final dealing with this famed fast food institution on this trip, perhaps any trip).
Saturday, June 6
Midnight found us maneuvering through some active traffic in St. Louis. Our next stop for gas was in Kansas City, where several Cadillacs rolled up and a stable of women from the world’s oldest profession were released to graze upon doughnuts and energy drinks. The drive through Kansas was spectacularly uninteresting, and the drive through Colorado was no different until the Rockies came into view. Gas and Wendy’s were purchased in Lymon, Colorado, and we were delayed slightly as Calamity Dan locked his keys in the Subaru. The local police responded quickly, and with a crucial assist from Jared, the vehicle was unlocked and we were back on the road. Our trek through the Rockies weighed heavily upon our horse, but the snow-covered mountains were impressive and gave us just a glimpse of what we will encounter on future trips. We finally reached Arches National Park at 6:00 PM MT and purchased our National Parks Pass.
We immediately drove to the trailhead of the renowned Delicate Arch for sunset. Temperatures were cool and the winds were howling as we made the 480-foot climb, our first experience hiking in the thinner air of the higher elevations in the west. Unfortunately, a mass of clouds was preventing the sun from illuminating the Arch, although the La Sal Mountains in the distance were showing magnificently. While patiently waiting for the clouds to move on, Mark made his way down to the Arch itself to gain perspective as to its size, and Dan disappeared. Much later, Dan was spotted on the cliff across the chasm from the Arch, provoking consternation from some and ridicule from others. Eventually, the clouds did allow a brief moment of sunset and we capitalized on it, and promptly made our way back to the car before the crowds. While leaving the park, we stopped at Balanced Rock, which was being silhouetted by the bright moonlight.
Down the street in Moab, Utah, we stopped at Hogi Yogi for food. With great frustration we searched for BLM campgrounds, finding each patch of dirt campsite occupied. Finally, we gave in and decided to stay in a hotel, which was nearly as difficult to find as a campsite. Super 8 had a room with three beds available, and the…hmm… person at the desk had a disturbing interest in how we would deal with the three beds and four guys. Much needed showers and desperately needed sleep occurred.
Sunday, June 7
We checked out of the hotel by 8:00 AM and reentered Arches National Park. The weather was still cool and windy. Along the park road, we stopped and took in Park Avenue, the Three Gossips, the Tower of Babel, the Organ, the Garden of Eden and other interesting formations. Our first arch of the day was Double Arch, one of the largest and best in the park, accompanied by the Parade of Elephants. Across the parking lot was the Windows Trail, which was a loop around the North and South Windows and Turret Arch. Turning right back onto the main park road, we stopped at Panorama Point, giving us a seemingly endless view of the entire area. Next was the Fiery Furnace, an interesting collection of red fins resembling the flames of the Babylonian kiln from which the Lord saved Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Moving north we hiked the short trail to Sand Dune Arch, whose path through giant rocks and thick sand was far more interesting than the arch itself. After a short walk to Skyline Arch, we reached the Devil’s Garden Trail and a multitude of tourists. The first part of the trail was easy and crowded until we reached Landscape Arch, the largest and perhaps most impressive in the park. At this point, the trail became considerably more difficult, with increasing elevation, rocky terrain, and exposure to heights, all of which paid off in more spectacular scenery than we had expected. We hiked the short spur trails to Navajo Arch and Partition Arch, and on up to Double O Arch. Here, the decision was made to hike back out the way we came in rather than completing the primitive loop, in the interest of time. Nearing the trailhead, we took the side trail to Tunnel Arch and Pine Tree Arch. We returned to the Subaru and left Arches and went to Moab to Zax Woodfire Pizzas, where we all chose the all-you-can-eat pizza buffet and washed it down gallons of ice water.
From Zax, we made our way to Dead Horse Point State Park where we had reserved a campsite. We stopped at a few scenic overlooks along the way, including one with two giant rocks called the Monitor and the Merrimac. Reaching the campground, we set up camp and made our way to Dead Horse Point for sunset. However, clouds were again an issue, but Dead Horse Point was easily one of the best views of the entire trip, with the Colorado River meandering through the wide canyon. We returned to camp and went and retired shortly after dark.
Monday, June 8
At 4:00 AM, Jared rolled over in his tent, just inches from my face and issued a stern subconscious warning “Be careful, Bigman”. This subliminal admonition was followed the remainder of the trip.
At 5:00 AM, another warning was being given, this time as Matt was urgently nagging Dan to get out of bed because they were about to miss sunrise at Dead Horse Point. After waiting a lengthy time for the sun to peer over the canyon walls and create the desired colorful effect, Matt and Dan returned to camp, we loaded the truck and were on our way to Canyonlands’ Island in the Sky District.
Our first stop in Canyonlands was Shafer Canyon, then to the short trail leading to Mesa Arch. Turning right at the fork in the park road we viewed Green River Overlook, Holeman Spring Canyon, and Whale Rock before reaching Upheaval Dome. We hiked to the Dome, which is a massive 1500-foot deep crater, seeing scores of lizards along the way. Working our way south, we viewed the expansive overlooks of Candlestick Tower, Buck Canyon, and Grand View Point. This concluded our time at Canyonlands and we began our trek toward Capitol Reef National Park.
The drive to Capitol Reef was desolate and gray. Shortly after entering the park, we saw a waterfall off the road being enjoyed by scores of Californians. Moving through the park, we photographed Capitol Dome, The Castle, Chimney Rock, the clear views of Panorama Point, and Twin Rocks. We stopped for gas near Torrey, Utah, where Scenic Byway 12 would begin. We soon found out why this road is reputed to be one of the best drives in America as it steadily began to climb elevation in the Dixie National Forest and the desert rock began to turn into green mountains. As temperatures plummeted, the views became more astounding. After reaching a peak of over 10,000 feet, the road descended into the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, meandering through its high desert rock. We arrived at Bryce Canyon National Park shortly before sunset, quickly photographing sunset point, and surprisingly finding available campsites at Sunset Campground. All went to bed at dark and managed to stay warm during the night as temperatures dipped into the 30s.
Tuesday, June 9
This day also began early for Matt and Dan, as they attempted to photograph sunrise over Bryce. Upon their return, we packed up and drove to the far southern viewpoint on the park road and work our way back to the park entrance. The morning was sunny, enlivening the hoodoos with brilliant colors of orange and accentuating the pine-forested mountains in the background. Returning to Sunset Point, we took the Navajo Loop Trail down into the hoodoos, steeply descending into Wall Street, where we were surprised to find a few tall Ponderosa Pines growing in the dark, narrow spaces between the towering walls. Hiking amongst the hoodoos of the Bryce Amphitheater was a unique and intriguing experience. Rather than take the Navajo Loop back to Sunset Point, we continued on the Queen’s Garden Trail, ultimately meeting the Queen herself before beginning our steep ascent to Sunrise Point. The clouds rolled in and it began to sprinkle as we raced our way back to Sunset Point along the Rim Trail. Leaving Bryce, we drove through Red Canyon to complete our journey down Scenic Byway 12.
In the afternoon, we crossed the threshold of Zion through the East Entrance and immediately began to see the monoliths Zion is known for, including the massive Checkerboard Mesa. Passing through the Zion-Mt. Carmel Tunnel, we would catch short glimpses through the tunnel windows of the bigger and better things we would see at the other end. We decided to stay our first night at Zion at the Zion RV Park and Campground. Before setting up camp, we ate at the Burger Shack inside the Quality Hotel and took the shuttle into the park. Our first order of business was the Emerald Pools Trail, leading to the Upper, Middle and Lower Emerald Pools. This was a very disappointing three-mile trail, with three small pools that easily could have been found at any park in Ohio. We then went further down the canyon to the short trail leading to Weeping Rock, a mossy overhang with cool water dripping from it. On the return trip, we stopped at the Court of the Patriarchs, three peaks named Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Returning to the campground, a torrential downpour ensued, and we sought shelter in the Burger Shack. Here we decided to extend our stay Zion RV for another five days, despite the cost. After the rain, we returned to camp, setup, took showers, and went to bed.
Wednesday, June 10
We boarded the Springdale shuttle at 8:00 AM and entered the park shortly thereafter, then boarded the Zion Canyon shuttle which we quickly recognized from the sign that our “Operator today is Bent”, who turned out to be an elderly European fellow with a very unique and interesting accent. Bent took us to the Grotto where our assault on Angels Landing would begin. The trail began very gradually, but soon took a series of steep switchbacks to Refrigerator Canyon, known for its cool temperatures thanks to its minimal sunlight and cool breezes. Turning out of Refrigerator Canyon brought us to the famed Walter’s Wiggles, an excruciating climb to Scout’s Lookout. At this point the trail becomes a steep, dangerous rock scramble up the spine of Angel Landing. At many points, we were exposed to cliffs with drops exceeding 1000 feet, including the Step of Faith, a three-foot wide rock path with extreme cliffs on both sides. Approaching one of the false summits, a loud sound from the sky like a parasail or small plane. Quickly looking to the right, we saw that a massive California Condor has just soared above our heads, close enough to feel his wake. Startled and amazed, we continued up to the summit and the awesome 360-degree views of Zion Canyon. While trying to enjoy this magnificent scene, we were swarmed by chipmunks looking for a handout, and willing to stop at nothing to get one, including climbing into packs and crawling into laps and pockets. After refueling, we carefully descended the lose sandstone of Angel’s Landing and took the West Rim Trail north. After a mile or so of steady climbing and seeing that much more was in store, we decided to begin our hike back to Zion Canyon. After eight difficult miles, we reached the Grotto and returned to camp.
While soaking our feet in the cool clear waters of the Virgin River flowing by our campsite, Jared threw a large stone into the middle of the river, which made one skip and top-spun it’s way into direct contact with my big toe. Jared was immediately forgiven, and fortunately, no damage was done. We went to the Zion Pizza and Noodle Company for dinner that afternoon, each ordering a pizza and bringing no leftovers back to camp.
Thursday, June 11
The agenda of this day at Zion was to climb 2,150 feet from the canyon floor up to Observation Point on the East Rim of Zion Canyon. The initial climb past Weeping Rock and up to Hidden Canyon was gradual compared to Walter’s Wiggles, but definitely a climb nonetheless. The trail continued through the alluring Echo Canyon and then turned steadily up to the canyon ceiling. Much of the trail was in the sun, but like the day before, the heat was not oppressive. The remaining trail to Observation Point was a short jaunt through a significantly greener environment at 6500 feet. The view from Observation Point facing south into Zion Canyon is astonishing, with Deartrap Mountain, Cable Mountain, the Great White Throne, etc. on the east side and a seemingly diminutive Angel’s Landing and others on the west. The chipmunks here were just as aggressive as those on Angel’s Landing. After another eight, tough miles, we returned to the Canyon and shuttled back to camp. Still relatively early in the afternoon, we drove to the east side of the park, passed through the tunnel, and hiked the Canyon Overlook trail, a short one mile trail to an overlook of the southern Zion Canyon, including the West Temple and the Altar of Sacrifice. We continued to drive to the East Entrance to photograph various points of interest such as Great Arch and Checkerboard Mesa. We returned to Springdale and consumed another large meal, this time at the Pioneer Lodge Restaurant.
Friday, June 12
With two tough days behind us and two more ahead of us, we opted for a more relaxed day of hiking in the Kolob Terrace section of the park, most of which is over 7000 feet in elevation. The Northgate Peaks trail was a nearly flat 4.2 mile hike through a cool wooded, grassy area to an overlook of the North and South Guardian Angels, Greatheart Mesa, and other parts of the Northgate Peaks. Some in our group enjoyed this trail, others did not. We returned to Springdale where we soaked in the river, threw Frisbee, returned to the Zion Pizza and Noodle Company for dinner, made use of the Zion Coin Laundry, and ate ice cream from the Zion Deli.
Saturday, June 13
Matt rose early to secure our permits for the Subway, but the Park Service would only give him two for the Top Down Route, requiring me to go to the Backcountry Office to get the other two for the Bottom Up Route. This detail proved not to be critical, and we reached the Left Fork (Subway) Trailhead at 10:00 AM. Matt and Dan would begin their trek here, while Mark and Jared drove the Subaru to the other end, hiking up the Left Fork and meeting Matt and Dan at the Subway section. Conditions were less than ideal for Matt and Dan as they began: 48 degrees and rainy. This would be the warmest they would be until much later in the day, as they were required to rappel into the slot canyons of the Left Fork and swim through it’s frigid waters. Meanwhile, after waiting out the rain, Mark and Jared descended the 400 feet to the Left Fork, where we quickly learned this would basically be a long day of bushwhacking up the river. As we approached the Subway, we marched up a series of cascades flowing over red rock. The Subway section is a tubular shaped canyon with some real emerald pools in the bottom. About 45 minutes later, Matt and Dan rappelled into the Subway and we began the grueling hike back to the car. This hike and its steep ascent back to the trailhead were only slightly more enjoyable than going to the BMV. We finished the hike at 6:00 PM and drove back to Springfield, where Matt and Dan decisively went back to the Zion Noodle Company for pizzas. Mark and Jared opted to try Oscars Café, and Mark taught Jared of the wonderful natural healing powers of ice cream on the walk back to camp.
Sunday, June 14
Alarms were set for 5:45 AM as our shuttle to Chamberlain Ranch and the Zion Narrows Trailhead would be leaving Zion Adventures Company at 6:30 AM. This 16-mile expedition would require a serious daylong effort to complete before dark, and is considered one of the best hikes in the world. The Zion Adventures van rambled through the winding one lane gravel road, getting us to the trailhead a little before 8:00 AM. The Narrows started on private property and our first river crossing came in the first ten yards of the trail. The first three miles were on a road that narrowed as we went along and finally into a traditional type of trail. We blazed through this first section in an attempt to get ahead of schedule. By mile 4, we were crossing the Virgin River frequently. Slowly, the river began to cut into a canyon, with the walls gradually getting taller and steeper. Soon, we entered the Upper Narrows, whose walls would provide no escape in the event of a flash flood. As we continued down the Narrows, more of our time was spent pushing our way through the river, searching for the path of least resistance. Occasionally, we had to climb over piles of trees that had collected in the canyon. At roughly 8.5 miles, we came to a waterfall, flowing well and plunging into a deep turquoise pool. Until mile 9, the water level rarely reached knee deep. After the confluence with Deep Creek, we would face higher water and more difficult footing, which would take its toll on our feet, ankles, stamina, and minds. We pressed on mile after mile, reaching Wall Street, the most spectacular section of the narrows from mile 12.5 to 13.5 and the junction with Orderville Canyon. The river flowed swiftly and deeply through this colossal crack in the earth, requiring a slow, arduous slugfest through this extraordinary canyon mile. After Wall Street, the trek became easier, offering more opportunities to hike on land with some semblance of speed. The final mile is the Riverside Walk, a paved trail alongside the Virgin River where we met a man in a speedo and cowboy hat and had a bitter encounter with a squirrel. The Narrows left our feet wrinkled, sore, and swollen, but morale was high with an influx of accomplishment. After the long shuttle ride back to camp, we ate at the Burger Shack, showered, and crashed.
Monday, June 15
Matt rose early to go to the Spotted Dog Café, where he put a strain on the cooks trying to keep the breakfast buffet stocked. We checked out of Zion RV by 9:30 AM, and set course for the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. After miles of desert, we began to climb elevation in the North Kaibab National Forest, much of which had apparently been blackened by fire. We passed through a progression of open meadows before reaching the North Rim, where we were greeted by sunny skies, temperatures in the upper 50s, and an Ohio State fan from California. We took in the sweeping views from Bright Angel, Point Imperial, Vista Encantada, Roosevelt Point, Walhalla, and Cape Royal and its view of Wotans Throne. Our goal then became to stay the night at the South Rim to get an early start there in the morning. Driving through Indian reservations and checking the map, we decided to drive out of the way to Page, Arizona for gas and food, and were rewarded with the discovery of a Walmart. We arrived at the South Rim after dark, and set up camp (with no fees) in the South Kaibab National Forest just outside of Grand Canyon.
Tuesday, June 16
We were loaded up and ready to head to the South Rim by 5:00 AM on this chilly morning. We made it to Mather Point for sunrise, with seemingly thousands of Japanese friends to greet us. Heading into Grand Canyon Village, we witnessed a herd of elk eating there way through the train depot. After a bit of confusion, we boarded the Hermit’s Rest shuttle that would take us to the nine viewpoints from Trailview Overlook to Hermit’s Rest. The shuttles were running too far between this early in the morning, prompting us to use the Rim Trail to the next point occasionally. The views from the South Rim, despite the cloud cover and cool weather, were more expansive than the views from the North. Returning to the Subaru, we stopped at all viewpoints heading east out of the park. On our way to Monument Valley, we made an unfortunately lengthy stop for lunch in Tuba City, Arizona. We reached Monument Valley by mid-afternoon, paid our fee, and drove through this famous piece of Indian land under cloudy skies and plenty of blowing dust. Leaving the Valley, the GPS suggested we go home a different way, and we concurred. Rather than driving through the Colorado Rockies at night, we would drive through New Mexico, Texas, and Oklahoma instead.
Wednesday, June 17
The clock struck midnight near Albuquerque, NM. Matt took the wheel shortly after entering Texas, with Dan entering into a comatose-like sleep all the way to Tulsa, OK. Upon passing through the final toll booth of the trip just outside of Tulsa, we were pulled over by an Oklahoma Patrolmen. Making up two false reasons for pulling us over, he discovered Dan could not provide proof of insurance and took Matt for the questioning. After asking Dan a few questions, he let us go on our way, prompting immediate retellings of a famous movie quote about what two things can be found in Oklahoma. We returned to Columbus, Ohio, at midnight, unloaded, and Mark, Jared, and Dan returned to Elyria.
Conclusion
The West was as big and wide open as advertised. We visited six national parks and one Navajo Nation Park, traveling through eleven states. Mark and Jared hiked 72.6 miles of trails, with Matt and Dan completing 70.7 miles.
Arches was an excellent way to start the trip and exceeded expectations, especially the Devil’s Garden Trail. We saw portions of Canyonlands and Capitol Reef, but what we did see was impressive and sparked curiosity to see more. Dead Horse Point is a must if traveling near Moab. The drive down Scenic Byway 12 more than lived up to its reputation as an All-American Drive. Bryce Canyon was exceptional, with our hike in the hoodoos being one of the best of the trip. The crown jewel of the trip was Zion, highlighted by the Narrows, and then Angel’s Landing and Observation Point. The Grand Canyon and Monument Valley offered some disappointment, but this may be due to seeing them at the end of the trip. The weather during the entire trip was mostly dry, but cool, with temperatures 10-15 degrees below normal. The change in elevation and its thinner air was noticeable early in the trip, but was not a major issue.
We saw the best the southwest had offer, including one of the Seven Wonders of the World and completing some of the most epic hikes in our blessed nation. We were exposed to barren desert wastelands, high desert plateaus, colossal monoliths of stone, the snow-capped Rockies, endless grasslands, and a whole new array of plant and wildlife. For all four participants, this first trip West was an epic expedition, a Wild West Show that will play in our minds for years to come.
